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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813594">steal (your heart)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiiraeth/pseuds/hiiraeth'>hiiraeth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cross-Posted on Tumblr, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:01:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,444</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25813594</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiiraeth/pseuds/hiiraeth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After seeing how stressed Marinette is under Gabriel's mentorship, Felix offers her a change.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Félix Graham de Vanily</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>330</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>steal (your heart)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was a prompt originally posted on my tumblr @noorooz.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The party at the Le Grand Paris was unbelievably dull.</p><p>Not that Felix thought any sort of party was particularly interesting, but he had certainly been to some better ones. Indeed, this little gathering was clearly more about business than fun. The guests were all stiff-faced buerocrats and celebrities, looking to make more connections and money. Why his mother had insisted on coming here was beyond him although he strongly suspected it was to annoy his uncle, who also in attendance.</p><p>A reason he could sympathize with.</p><p>Still, they had been there for hours already and Felix was ready to go. He had been hopeful when he saw the crowd start to thin out, but when he managed to locate his mother she was deep into a conversation with another woman, showing no signs of being ready to leave. Deflated, he’d returned to his spot near a wall where he’d been posted ever since. At the very least, nobody attempted to trap him into a conversation, since the majority of the crowd looked to be on the older side.</p><p>Count your blessing, Felix.<br/>
As he watched the crowd he spotted something— or rather, someone, he hadn’t noticed before.</p><p>She was moving quickly across the room, dark blue pigtails bouncing, as she made a beeline for Gabriel Agreste, who currently looked to be suffering through a conversation with Audrey Bourgeois. Before she could reach him, his uncle’s assistant-slash-mistress intercepted, and the two exchanged some brief words before pig-tail girl wilted, nodding. She then turned and started walking towards the back of the room where she disappeared into a hallway.</p><p>Marinette Dupain-Cheng, he thought. Fancy meeting you here.</p><p>He’d had the pleasure of meeting the girl a couple times since the whole cellphone incident. Despite knowing what he did, she had been kind to him, the only one out of Adrien’s dumb friends who was willing to give him a chance. Not that he really wanted one, but he appreciated her kindness nonetheless.</p><p>Curious about what she was doing at such a stuffy party, he moved to follow her. Looking around, he didn’t see any of her friends here and Adrien, he knew, had managed to weasle his way out of attending, saying something about how he really needed to study for an upcoming exam. Code for: ’I’m going to sneak out and go to a real party as soon as the door shuts behind you.’<br/>
As he reached the hallway she disappeared into he immediately ducked behind the corner. She was sitting with her back to the wall, talking to someone on the phone. To his surprise, it sounded like she was fighting back tears.</p><p>“I’m really sorry,” She was saying. “I don’t think I can make it tonight—yes, I tried but— no—” There was a pause and then a dejected sigh. “I’m sorry, Alya. Maybe next time, okay? Tell everyone I said hi.” After talking a little bit longer Marinette said her goodbyes and hung up.</p><p>Felix tensed for a moment, expecting her to come around the corner and catch him eavesdropping, but when she didn’t, he decided to take his chances and peak.</p><p>He blinked.</p><p>She still sat there, her knees up to her chest, head bowed, definitely crying.</p><p>Looking back, he didn’t know why he did it. Maybe it was because he was bored, maybe because he had too much time on his hands, maybe it was just a whim. Or maybe it was because the sight of her crying alone in an empty hallway made something deeply uncomfortable settle into his chest.</p><p>“Hey,” He said, stepping out from behind the corner.</p><p>Marinette jumped, making a rather adorable squeaking sound.</p><p>“Felix!?”</p><p>“That’s me.”</p><p>She gaped at him and then desperately tried to compose herself, wiping away the evidence of her tears. “Sorry,” She let out a tired laugh. “You caught me off guard.”</p><p>She made a move to stand but held his hand up, stopping her, and sat down on the floor across from her. She stared at him, looking a little uncertain.</p><p>“I know we’re not that familiar with each other,” He started, “But you can talk to me if you want.”</p><p>Her bottom lip trembled and she looked away. Felix frowned. Now that they were face to face, he could see that Marinette didn’t look well. The makeup she was wearing, slightly smeared from the tears, didn’t do anything to hide how tired she looked. He thought of the last time he’d seen her, over a year ago, and how different she was back then. He considered her to be a happy and energetic girl, but looking at her now, there didn’t seem to be any trace of that person. What changed?</p><p>“It isn’t what I thought it would be.”</p><p>Felix was brought out of his thoughts by her quiet words. “What isn’t what you thought it would be?”</p><p>For a moment she just stared down at her knees, picking at a some lint on her dress. “Everything.” She whispered.</p><p>She sniffled and then continued, “Mr. Agreste made me his pupil last summer. I was so excited…I thought—I thought it was going to be fun. I thought it would open up doors for me. Don’t get me wrong, I knew it was going to be a lot of work and that it wouldn’t be easy but—” Tears began filling her eyes again. “I didn’t think it was going to be this hard. I don’t have time to do anything anymore. The only time I see my friends is at school, which I also barely have time for. I’m up late every single night studying and doing homework so I don’t get much sleep and I just—” She closed her eyes. “I’m so tired. And stressed. And upset, because tonight was the one night I was going to be free but Mr. Agreste insisted that I needed to attend this party, that if I wanted to be a high profile fashion designer I would need to get used to these things and if I couldn’t handle it then I wasn’t fit to be his pupil.”</p><p>She took a deep breath as she finished speaking and then looked sheepishly at Felix. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to go off on a rant like that.”</p><p>This time it was Felix’s turn to gape at her. “That’s…horrible. He’s working you too hard, Marinette. Why do you put up with that?”</p><p>“Because it’s my only option. Audrey Bourgeois offered to mentor me too, but she wanted me to move to the states. I don’t want to leave everything behind.”</p><p>“Sounds like you already are.”</p><p>Marinette pursed her lips and said nothing.</p><p>Felix suddenly felt a renewed hatred for his uncle. He knew the man wouldn’t be happy with anything Marinette did until she was as bitter and dead inside as he was. She could give him every moment of her time and it would never be enough. He didn’t deserve to have such such an amazing person like Marinette work for him.</p><p>Just then, he had a thought.</p><p>“You do have other options.”</p><p>Marinette looked confused. “But—” She let a strangled noise when Felix suddenly launched forward and took her hands in his.</p><p>“My mom can mentor you.”</p><p>“Your mom? But—but— she doesn’t even live here or work in the fashion industry or know me or—”</p><p>He waved her off. “Relax. You don’t need anyone to teach you how to make clothes, Marinette. I’ve seen your designs online, they’re great. As for connections and everything else, my mom can help you. She’s pretty well-known too, y'know? Our family has had influence long before the Agrestes.”</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know, Felix. This…this is so sudden.” She paused, considering him. “Why would you even want to help me?”</p><p>“Because I like taking things from my uncle.” He said flatly.</p><p>Marinette looked like she didn’t know whether to laugh or be appalled.</p><p>“But also,” He continued, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. “You’re the only person in this stupid city that I find tolerable. You were nice to me even when you had every reason not to be so…think of this as thank you.”</p><p>Felix stood and helped Marinette up, who, to his relief, looked a little less depressed. A hopeful gleam shone in her eyes. “Are you sure your mom would be up for taking me as her pupil?”</p><p>“For sure,” He said as he started guiding her back towards the party, towards his mother. “She likes taking from my uncle, too.”</p><p>Marinette laughed.</p><p>A beautiful sound.</p><p>Felix decided then and there he’d do his best to hear it more often.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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